High school track: Daniel Simmons, Jane Hedengren, Amare Harlan enjoy state record performances at BYU Invitational
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Timpview’s Jane Hedengren finishes the girls 1,600 during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. Ryan Sun, Deseret News
James has been covering high school sports in Utah for the Deseret News for three decades.
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It was a record-setting weekend on the track at BYU this weekend as three of the state’s marquee athletes broke coveted state records.
American Fork’s Daniel Simmons (3,200-meters), Timpview’s Jane Hedengren (1,600-meters) and Fremont’s Amare Harlan (200-meters) all set new state records at the BYU Invitational in impressive fashion.
For elite sprinter Harlan, the day was a reminder of how cruel the slightest wind can be while chasing records.
Harlan, who last week lowered her own state record in the 100-meters, set the 200-meter state record with a time of 23.63. It broke the record time of 23.75 held by Enterprise’s Jazlyn Gardner from 2017.
A year ago at the BYU Invite, Harlan posted a time of 23.70 in the 200-meters, which would’ve been enough to break Gardner’s record, but the wind gauge showed +2.1 — just 0.1 too much for record consideration.
On Saturday, a +2.3 wind denied Harlan her state record hat trick. Harlan won the long jump with a mark of 19’07.75, which was better than the state record of 19’04.75 set back in 2001. That extra 0.3 kept it from entering the record books.
Harlan will have two more chances to try and break that record at the region and state meets in the coming weeks.
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American Fork’s Daniel Simmons wins the boys 1,600-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Lone Peak’s Ethan Valleta reacts after finishing the boys 400-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Fremont’s Amare Harlan takes the win in the girls 100-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Lone Peak’s Jaron Hartshorn competes during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Burley’s Gatlin Bair looks at the screen after winning the boys 100-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Weber’s Eden DeVries finishes the girls 100-meter hurdles during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Brynn Leavitt finishes the girls 100-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Timpview’s Jane Hedengren finishes the girls 1,600 during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Timpview’s Jane Hedengren hugs Westlake’s Shelby Jensen after finishing first and second respectively during the girls 1,600 during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Lander Valley’s Gage Gose wins the boys 100-meter hurdles during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Lone Peak’s Ethan Valleta reacts after finishing the boys 400-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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American Fork’s Desirae Riehle reacts after winning the girls 400-meter during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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Olympus’ JoJo Jourdon hugs American Fork’s Daniel Simmons during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
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High school athletes compete during the BYU Track Invitational at the Clarence F. Robison Outdoor Track & Field in Provo on May 6, 2023. | Ryan Sun, Deseret News
For Utah’s two best distance runners, conditions were perfect at BYU for record-breaking runs of their own. On Friday, Simmons broke the 3,200-meter state record that dates back to 2013, posting a time of 8:49.05. It narrowly snapped the record-time of 8:49.08 that Park City’s Ben Saarel set at the BYU Invite a decade ago.
On Saturday, Simmons followed it up with a fantastic performance in the 1,600-meters as he posted a time of 4:07.51, the third-best mark in state history in the event.
Simmons needed to be great as Olympus’ JoJo Jourdon was just .09 behind him with a time of 4:07.60.
While Simmons narrowly broke his state record, Timpview’s Hedengren shattered hers.
Hedengren went out fast in her 1,600-meter race on Saturday, posting a ridiculous time of 4:43.14 to finish 12 seconds faster than runner-up Shelby Jensen of Westlake. Her time ended up being 1.99 seconds faster than the previous record time of 4:45.13 set by Ogden’s Sarah Feeny in 2014.
Here’s a look at the winners for every event held at BYU this weekend.
Boys individual winners (6A-4A)
100-meters — Gatlin Bair, Burley, Idaho, 10.25
200-meters — Gatlin Bair, Burley, Idaho, 20.47
400-meters — Ethan Valletta, Lone Peak, 48.09
800-meters — Kadan Allen, Herriman, 1:53.08
1,600-meters — Daniel Simmons, American Fork, 4:07.51
3,200-meters — Daniel Simmons, American Fork, 8:49.05